What is Physical Therapy?

Chances are, you have already heard of physical therapy. You might have heard from a friend how physical therapy helped get rid of his or her back pain, or you might know someone who needed physical therapy after an injury. You might even have been treated by a physical therapist yourself. But have you ever wondered about physical therapists—who we are and what we do?

The first modern American physical therapists were trained to work with soldiers returning form the war, and several groups of ‘reconstruction aides,’ as they were then called, actually were sent to military hospitals in France to institute early rehabilitation with wounded veterans.

Today’s physical therapist is a direct descendant of these brave women (and a few men). Physical therapists now practice in a wide variety of settings, with patients form all age groups. Many people are familiar with physical therapists’ work helping patients with orthopedic problems, such as low back pain or knee surgeries, to reduce pain and regain function. Others may be aware of the treatment that physical therapists provide to assist patients recovering from a stroke or a sports-related injury. In today’s health care system, physical therapists are the experts in the examination and treatment of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular problems that affect peoples’ abilities to move the way they want and function as well as they want in their daily lives.

Because physical therapists are required to understand a vast array of problems that can affect movement, function and health, all physical therapists are college graduates. The majority of physical therapist education programs graduate students with a master’s degree. A few schools offer a clinical doctorate in physical therapy. All physical therapists also are required to take a national examination and be licensed by the state in which they practice.

The cornerstones of physical therapy treatment are therapeutic exercise and functional training. In addition to “hands-on” care, physical therapists also educate patients to take care of themselves and to perform certain exercises on their own. Depending on the particular needs of a patient, physical therapists may also “mobilize” or “manipulate” a joint or massage a muscle to promote proper movement and function. Methods such as ultrasound (which use high frequency waves to produce heat), hot packs, and ice also are used.

Most forms of physical therapy are covered by your insurance, but the coverage will vary with each plan. Nebraska has direct access for physical therapy, which means you can see a physical therapist without a doctor’s order. For some cases, this is appropriate. Most physical therapists prefer to treat a patient with a physician’s order. We believe the best health care is a team approach between the physical therapist and the physician.

The following list contains some of the most common reasons to see a physical therapist:

• Low back pain
• Neck pain
• Shoulder, arm, wrist, or hand problems
• Knee, ankle, or foot problems
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Sprains and muscle strains
• Arthritis
• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation after a serious injury
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Problems with balance
• Sports injury
• Pre- or post-surgery rehabilitation